980-981
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Mr. McCandless. I was.
Senator Gray. By which was appointed the committee that waited on Minister Stevens and reported?
Mr. McCandless. Yes.
Senator Gray. Who reported, Mr. Thurston?
Mr. McCandless. I think it was Mr. Thurston and Mr. Smith. They were the gentlemen who were appointed first.
Senator Gray. Do you recollect what they reported then at that meeting?
Mr. McCandless. Of course, they went to see what would be the probable attitude of the American minister in the case of our uprising.
Senator Gray. What did they report?
Mr. McCandless. They reported that Mr. Stevens, in regard to that point, was noncommittal.
Senator Gray. Did he not say he would land the troops at any moment to protect life and property?
Mr. McCandless. He did.
Senator Gray. Did he not say that he would recognize the Provisional Government or whatever government it might be?
Mr. McCandless. I think there was a report of that kind.
Senator Gray. That Stevens would recognize the Provisional Government when established?
Mr. McCandless. When there was any in existence.
Senator Gray. When it was in existence?
Mr. McCandless. Yes.
The Chairman. Did the committee of safety select the officers of the Provisional Government?
Mr. McCandless. They did.
The Chairman. And selected Mr. Dole as President?
Mr. McCandless. Yes. I will tell the story of that. All that happened at the meeting at Mr. Waterhouse's----
Senator Gray. Monday evening?
Mr. McCandless. Monday evening. We were there until, perhaps, 11 or 12 o'clock.
The Chairman. What took place at the meeting at Mr. Waterhouse's house?
Mr. McCandless. At that meeting when we proceeded to appoint the members of the advisory council and the members of the executive council, we sent a committee of one, Mr. Bolte, to Judge Dole asking him if he would take the position of president of the Provisional Government. Mr. Dole, at that time Judge Dole, knew no more of the workings of the committee of safety than any other outsider, and Judge Dole gave Mr. Bolte no encouragement at all. But finally, after entreaties on the part of Mr. Bolte, he came and said he did not care about that at first; finally he said he would come to the meeting. Judge Dole came to the meeting, and of course we stated to him at the meeting that we desired him to become president of the Provisional Government which we were about to inaugurate. At first he declined entirely; that is, at first, he could not see his way clear. He finally made the statement, after talking quite a while, that he had not arrived at the conclusion yet that that was the only solution of the matter— that is, a provisional government looking to annexation. Then he was asked what his opinion was. He said, my opinion is—of course Llliuokalani is out of the question; she has started this revolution, and can not be trusted any longer—my opinion is that Kaiulani would be best for us; to have Kaiulani on the throne with a regency until she is of age.
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That was Judge Dole's statement to the meeting on Monday evening at 8 o'clock. That was argued with him, and finally before he left he agreed to take it under advisement and consult with his friends and let the committee know the next day.
Senator Gray. That was at Mr. Waterhouse's house Monday evening?
Mr. McCandless. Yes.
Senator Gray. Was anything said about Mr. Stevens then?
Mr. McCandless. I think so.
Senator Gray. Were the United States troops mentioned?
Mr. McCandless. We talked over everything.
Senator Gray. The attitude of the United States minister and the landing of the troops were talked over?
Mr. McCandless. We had a good deal of business on hand.
Senator Gray. You say you talked over everything, and that was talked over?
Mr. McCandless. Yes.
Senator Gray. Was any committee sent to Minister Stevens that evening?
Mr. McCandless. Not that I remember. No committee—I do not think there was. We also invited Mr. Cecil Brown there. Mr. Cecil Brown is an Englishman and has quite a large following there. We wanted him very much to be one of the new government, and, of course, he came there. The whole plan was laid before him, the intentions of the committee and the appointment of the Provisional Government, including the application for annexation to the United States. Mr. Wundenburg and I individually talked to Mr. Brown, perhaps a half hour, to convince him that he should see it in our light and come over and be one of the supporters. We retired from the room, went out on the veranda, and continued our entreaties with him to try to get him to come in the government, and, of course, we laid the whole matter before him. Finally he said to us, "Let me alone." Said he, "I will solve this for myself." He said, "If I decide not to become part of the government no one living will know that I was here," and after staying out there, probably an hour, he retired, and could not see his way clear to coming in there. Afterwards he became a member of the advisory council. As I stated, Judge Dole took it under consideration and went home. I think we selected most of the names of the Provisional Government. They had been selected up to that time. The first idea was to have 4 ministers and a President, but in picking out 5 men that we thought could agree, we found difficulties. In fact, we consulted Judge Dole in regard to that. So that we finally gave up the idea of 5, and came to the conclusion that we could find 4 men who could work very harmoniously in the government.
Senator Gray. Had Minister Stevens been advised of the project for a Provisional Government and annexation to the United States ?
Mr. McCandless. I do not know.
Senator Gray. Do you know whether it was understood there that he knew what was going on?
Mr. McCandless. Well, everybody knew it.
Senator Gray. Did you not understand that he knew it; was not that your opinion?
Mr. McCandless. It would be my opinion that he would know.
Senator Gray. Do you not know now, and did you not know then, that he did understand it?
Mr. McCandless. No; I do not know it.
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